Floor tile grout color gone wrong

[Kansas City Fireslayer]

I just finished a 5x6’ bathroom floor with a 2” hexagon tile on back matting. The tile is a porcelain matte white sheen. While at the tile shop, they had a piece finished with standard white grout displayed vertically. It was very pleasing to the eye and we both liked it. At HD, Polyblend offered bright white, Snow White and an “ivory white”. I choose bright white bring it looked “standard” on the color chart.

Knowing better, I didn’t do a sample and now I’m left with white grout that is brighter than my now “oyster white” looking 2” hex tile. The grout looks like the brightest white tooth paste you’ve ever seen. I am not happy and discouraged with myself knowing I should of done a test board.

I have more or less washed out the hex mosaic effect and I’d like to slightly darken the sanded Polyblend grout.

I know of 3 options: Dig out the grout and start over. Use a light grey grout color stain. Or possibly darken the grout with a solvent based enhancer. I tried a tad of 511 impregnator next to the toilet flange and it dried with no effect.

Would anyone like to add any tips moving forward other than you should of done a test board!!!

Thanks...

[Phil Thien]

You could test some dyes but do so on a separate mock up with spare tiles.

[Kansas City Fireslayer]

I That’s the number one plan as of now. Any recommendations on a brand or product would be great. I don’t want to dig out the grout but I will do whatever it takes to make it right in the long run. I have a hard time living with anything I build or improve if I don’t love the final result. Hoping to move foreard to the woodworking and painting parts soon. The grout is getting harder by the minute...

[Robert Adams]

That is something I have learned about grout from first hand experience and from the commercial tile guys. Grout always comes out lighter than the sample in the store. Now part of that is from the efforesence which is a light haze of salts left on top of masonry. It can wick from the tile mud and backer board underneath. 
       Grout haze remover sometimes works but the commercial tile guys acid wash every installation to eliminate it. They use sulfamic acid but you can buy grout cleaner by Zep that has muriatic acid in it and I have used it with fair results but it is much weaker than the sulfamic mix.

[6270_Productions]

There are many folks reading this thread and thinking -

Really?  Just wait.  It is grout it will get darker (dirty) before long and then you will be asking how to get it clean (bright).

You should start noticing an increased "darkening" around the toilet first and probably within two weeks of use.

[Mags®]

There are many folks reading this thread and thinking -

Really?  Just wait.  It is grout it will get darker (dirty) before long and then you will be asking how to get it clean (bright).

You should start noticing an increased "darkening" around the toilet first and probably within two weeks of use.

   That was my very thought reading all the replies...

[Stwood_]

We used a reddish brown in ones of ours, and it's darkened considerably

[Kansas City Fireslayer]

Following up; I used Polyblend grout renew on all the grout joints. I mixed 3 parts Snow White with one part platinum. The grout renew is a semi heavy bodied colored sealer that’s similar to paint. It’s waterbased with excellent adhesion. It took a lot of work to scrub it off my hands and even the glazed porcelain tile. It turned out extremely well and I would recommend it’s use to others for changing grout colors or renewing heavily stained grout joints.

I was concerned with the grout joints looking painted with this product but that’s not the case. It still looks like natural sanded grout. Thanks for comments.

[Robert Adams]

Following up;  I used Polyblend grout renew on all the grout joints.  I mixed 3 parts Snow White with one part platinum.  The grout renew is a semi heavy bodied colored sealer that’s similar to paint.  It’s waterbased with excellent adhesion.  It took a lot of work to scrub it off my hands and even the glazed porcelain tile.  It turned out extremely well and I would recommend it’s use to others for changing grout colors or renewing heavily stained grout joints.  

I was concerned with the grout joints looking painted with this product but that’s not the case.  It still looks like natural sanded grout.  Thanks for comments.

    Good to hear. I have never used a grout renew product. Will try that in the future.

[Kansas City Fireslayer]

I was really skeptical at first but there’s lots of good reviews on this and other similar products. I spoke with a friend who has sold tile for over 20 years and her husband is an installer. She said most are excellent products yielding good results. Being my grout was new and unsoiled gave me confidence that adhesion would be as good as it gets. I am very pleased. I would post photos but I still haven’t switched over from photobucket to something else.